The present invention relates to a fluid dispenser device for mounting in the neck of a tank, which neck may, depending on circumstances, have an inside wall in the form of an upwardly-flaring cone. More particularly, the present invention relates to a fixing ring suitable for receiving the body of a dispenser member such as a pump, the ring also having an engagement skirt of shape corresponding to the shape of the wall of the neck so as to fit in the neck of the tank.
By way of example, document DE-85608 discloses a dispenser device in which a pump is mounted in a plug having a conical outer wall. The plug with a conical outer wall is coated in a covering of rubber. The neck of the tank to which the plug is to be fitted also has a neck whose inside wall is conical to match the plug. The rubber covering of the plug serves to improve fixing and sealing of the plug in the conical neck. However, because sealing contact takes place over the entire frustoconical surface area of the plug, it is difficult to push the plug into the conical neck. Given that the pressure force exerted on the plug is distributed uniformly over the entire frustoconical contact area, it follows that the plug is nowhere in high-pressure contact with the conical neck of the tank. A major drawback results from this fact, whereby the plug is not very well retained in the neck and can come out. Consequently, the use of a rubber covering does not make it possible to obtain good fixing and proper sealing.
Another document, U.S. Pat. No. 3,937,366 discloses a dispenser having a tank whose neck is accurately cylindrical, and in which a pump-receiving fixing ring is engaged. For this purpose, the fixing ring has an engagement skirt whose outer wall is cylindrical. To improve fixing of the ring in the neck of the tank, the engagement skirt has a peripheral annular rib provided thereon and the inner wall of the neck of the tank has a peripheral annular groove. Once the fixing ring has been mounted in the neck of the tank, the peripheral annular bead becomes engaged in the peripheral annular groove. The shapes of the peripheral bead and of the peripheral groove are exactly complementary so no pressure is exerted on the bead when it is inside the groove. Consequently, that bead-and-groove arrangement does not contribute to improving sealing between the fixing ring and the neck of the tank, and serves merely-to provide good fixing.
An object of the present invention is to remedy the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art by defining a dispenser device whose fixing ring provides an engagement that is entirely leakproof and a fixing that is reliable.
For this purpose, the present invention provides a fluid dispenser device for mounting in a tank neck, the device comprising: a dispenser member, such as a pump, comprising a body and an actuator rod movable in said body; and a fixing ring comprising a reception housing for receiving said body and an engagement skirt whose outer wall is of a shape corresponding to the shape of the wall of the neck so as to fit in said neck of the tank; the outer wall of the skirt being provided with at least one peripheral sealing bead adapted to be compressed against the inner wall of the tank neck. Thus, engagement is entirely leakproof and secure given that all of the force exerted to engage the ring gives rise to annular contact that is very strong because the bead is compressed against the inner wall of the neck. Unlike the above-mentioned German document, sealing contact takes place on a circle only and not over a frustoconical surface, thereby increasing the contact force against the inner wall of the neck. In addition, unlike the above-mentioned American document, entirely leakproof contact is established because the bead cannot snap into a groove of corresponding shape but on the contrary is completely compressed against the inner wall of the neck.
According to an advantageous characteristic, the conical outer wall of the skirt is provided with two peripheral sealing beads. The fact of providing two sealing beads on the ring makes it possible further to improve the stability of the ring inside the neck. Together the two sealing beads define two spaced-apart circles such that the ring can no longer tilt inside the neck. In addition, sealing is also improved because the sealing barrier is duplicated.
According to another characteristic, the skirt extends around the body with radial separation that forms an annular gap. The fact that the inner wall of the ring is not in contact with the body of the dispenser member enables the skirt to deform inwards during compression of the bead(s) inside the conical neck of the tank.
According to another aspect of the invention, the fixing ring forms a guide collar for an actuator head mounted on the actuator rod.
In an embodiment, the inner wall of the neck and the engagement skirt of the ring are in the shape of upwardly-flared cones.
The invention is described in greater detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings showing an embodiment of the invention by way of non-limiting example.